A Tragic End to What Could Have Been A Brilliant Career

Most hockey fans out there do not know the name Luc Bourdon. That is because of his very brief career, that unfortunately ended in tragedy. Luc was one of the top defensive prospects in the 2005 NHL draft. His pre-draft reports were that he was the 6th best North American born skater in the draft. He was known for not only excellent defensive skills but also as a solid point man during power plays.

At 18 he almost made the Canucks 2005-06 opening day roster, he was one of the final cuts. He spent the season with the Val-d’Or Foreurs and the Moncton WIldcats, where unfortunately he wrecked his fibula and promptly missed the rest of the season. He was told that it was going to take a full year to recover, but instead he was able to recover in one year. In 2006-07 he made the Canucks opening day roster, however after nine games he was returned to Moncton where he played out the season (and was traded mid-season to Cape Breton. During the 2007-08 season he split time between the Manitoba Moose (AHL) and the Canucks and scored his first goal against Nickolas Backstrom of the Wild. He would end up finishing the season in Vancouver.

Just 2 weeks after appearing in the playoffs with the Manitoba Moose, Luc was involved in a Motorcycle accident in New Brunswick, Canada. He died instantly when his motorcycle veered out of control and into a tractor-trailer. His best friend and frequent roomate Kris Letang was supposed to be buying a motorcycle as well, but because Kris was playing in the Stanley Cup at the time he was not able to buy one.

As far as Luc’s cards go, they are considered commons in the world of eBay. The card pictured below is his best card and could be had on eBay for just $11. The world may never remember Luc, but it was a tragedy that he died so early in what could have been a great career. It’s just one of those stories that never really made the main stream news in the USA, but is important enough to tell here on the blog.

Very similar to Dmitri Tertyshnys untimely death in a boating accident. He was a 22 year old Flyers defenseman who fell overboard and was killed when he was hit by the boats propeller. He was a highly regarded player who never got to show how good he could have been.